The Twin
by ThunderingShadow
Summary: The same day Feyre's mother died, her twin brother was taken as well. Years have passed now, and Falcon was considered dead. Set in ACOMAF before the High Lords meeting, the Inner Circle gets a mysterious visitor from a neighbouring court, his true business known only to Rhysand and Helion. What will happen when Night and Day meet?
1. Prolouge - Chapter 1

**Hey guys! This is just a prolouge, so you can potentially skip over this if you don't want to read, but the story will be actually starting next chapter. If you do want to read this, then thank you so much (I tried to put a lot of effort into it, so hope you like it)!**

 **The actual intro will be in bold at the top of the next/first chapter, so stay tuned for that!**

 **But anyway, enough of me, so happy reading!**

* * *

 **(Mortal Lands _, twelve years ago...)_**

 ** _Feyre:_**

The stone wall pressed into my back as I waited for my turn. The open window nearby brought in the bitter sounds of birds singing and chirping happily, the clack of wooden sticks accompanied by the laughter of young boys, lazily trickling water that swam down the slight slope from the well and down into the kitchens. If you listened closely, you could hear the kitchen cook whistling along to a sad ballard, and the happily content voices of one of my elder sisters and the garden maids as they tended to the little gardens that littered our family estate.

A sharp bark of laughter drew my attention, and without looking out the window I knew it was Kaspar, Falcon's best friend as my brother manipulatively broke through his guard and 'stabbed' him. I smiled, and listened to their little jests, and a few seconds later, they raced off to the kennels to see their puppies. I was glad Falcon had someone to unknowingly help him get over what had happened yesterday with mother, but at the same time I didn't want to go in and see her in fear of what she would say to me.

The memory of last night was definitely one I would not forget anytime soon. It was nearly midnight when Falcon had hopped out of the window of our room and climbed up onto the roof. Waiting for a few moments to make sure he was up there safely, I quickly and quietly followed after him, slipping out the window like a shadow and scaling the wall easily before reaching the roof. It took a moment for me to find him without the moonlight, but I found his silhouette soon enough.

I padded barefoot over the roof tiles before sitting behind him, wrapping my arms and legs around him, moulding our small bodies together perfectly. We were silent a few moments, before Falcon started whispering to me about what had happened earlier today. I knew my twin inside out like the back of my hand, so I knew not to interrupt him as he verbalised his anger, hurt and the rest of his emotions. In all my life, Falcon had always been my rock, barely needing any emotional support for himself, and one thing I had never seen him do is cry. To my shock, I watched silently as tears rolled down his cheeks and slip down onto my bare arms.

We sat there like that, deep into the night, curled up in each other's warmth, talking, and watching the stars pass over our heads. At some point, Falcon went to sleep, but I stayed up, watching as the starts slowly winked out, and as the sun rose sleepily, bathing the sky in pinks, proud oranges, and fiery reds. I knew then as the sun slowly came up into the dawn filled sky, that Falcon and I could do anything in the world, as long as we were together. We were inseparable. We drew strength from each other. We loved each other, infinitely deeper than the ocean. We were the same person, the same soul - just split between two bodies.

An arms length away from me, the door into mother's sickroom opened up, and my eldest sister Nesta walked out. I had never seen her look so helpless, so destroyed about anything. I knew she loved Mother - no matter how she treated us - and I knew Nesta wasn't ready to give her up yet. Mothers favourite words for me came to mind.

 _Even if you're lucky, you almost never get what you want. Everything you take for granted in this world will be taken away from you at some stage, so there's no point in attaching yourself to anything. Isolate yourself, to protect yourself._

I blinked back the hauntingly accurate voice and Nesta shouldered past me, her spring green dress billowing out behind her as she stalked away angrily. Taking a breath, I walked over to the door and paused, hesitating, before turning the bitingly cold metal handle and walking inside the room.

When the door closed, the room was plunged into darkness. The curtains were closed so crisply that even the broad daylight outside couldn't penetrate an inch into the room. A few oil lamps defiantly held back the bleaching darkness that have enveloped nearly the entirety of the room, but the lamps were burning low under the dark's onslaught. The room was lightly furnished, only having a small table that squat on either side of the the sickbed, a small wooden chair that stood quietly off to the side near the window bore an overcoat of dust in an attempt to ward off the rooms chill, while a large platform was raised slightly off the ground, making the sickbed appear to float.

The rough woollen rug that was unrolled underneath the chair had been leached of colour, the material worn, battered and torn from the little bugs and moths that I suspected had made their new homes in the room had taken a little snack on. The bed that Mother lay in was a big, four poster bed with draping golden yellow curtains, with a heavenly soft, deep green quilt covered pale green sheets with gold thread. As I stepped up onto the raised platform, the doctor in the room looked at me with a sad, somber look in his eyes, before he pat my shoulder reassuringly and leaving the room.

"Feyre," My mother's voice was thin - weak - compared to her usually hard, commanding tone. "Come here, where I can see you."

Moving to her side, my mother reached out a tentive hand. I took it lightly, nearly jumping at how bony it was, and how thinly stretched the skin that covered her hand was. "Yes mother?"

"Forgive me, Feyre. Forgive me for everything I have never done for you and your siblings." A shallow breath. "I have never been the proper mother I should have been. I was too harsh on you all." Another short breath. "Promise me Feyre. Promise me you will look after them. Promise me you will take care of them, not matter what. Through thick and thin, look after them and protect them." Her eyes desperately searched my young blue-grey ones, identical to her own. "Promise me."

"I promise mother. I promise."

Mothers eyes had a little bit of their light come back into them, and a smile rippled over her face. "Thank you, Feyre. You were always too good for this world, Feyre." Her eyes fluttered shut, but the smile stayed on her face. "Thank you."

With those final two words, my mother left the world forever.

But that was just the beginning of our family's spiral downwards.

 ** _Falcon:_**

I knew it was Feyre's time in with mother when Nesta came storming past the kennels and into the stables. Kaspar glanced at me and scrunched his face up, impersonating Nesta's current mood. We started cracking up laughing and a familiar shrill, airy voice broke us off swiftly.

"Kaspar! Kaspar, come out right now!" Kaspar's mother.

Kaspar groaned, and laid down in the straw. "Why now of all times? Nesta's only just started on her rage!"

I laughed at Kaspar as the puppies swarmed over Kaspar, their tails wagging wildly, excited yapping filling the air around us as Kaspar yelled out in surprise. Once he managed to surface from drowning in the puppy love, I doubled over laughing at how shocked and stupid he looked with puppy slobber dropping off every inch of his face and wavy auburn hair. Footsteps rang out on the cobblestone floor as someone approached, and I went quiet as Kaspar's mum stuck her head over the stall door.

Round faced with open, trusting oak wood brown eyes, Loren Buckersly was nearly the opposite of her son. Kaspar's oval face was tanned from being in the sunlight as well as constantly having dirt always on it, while Loren's was pale and clean with light layers of makeup. Loren had freckles coating her blush dusted cheeks and Kaspar was clear faced, only having a small mole on the right side of his lower neck. They both had the same oak wood coloured eyes and straight, blindingly white teeth, though Kaspar had a few missing because they had fallen out. She was average height for the females in the area we lived in, and already Kaspar reached her chest.

"Hullo Falcon. How are you doing today?" Loren had always been like a second mother to me, and I had told her almost everything in my life. I only trusted Feyre to know everything.

"Better than yesterday, I know that at least." I grinned up at her.

The smile she gave me was so loving that I felt a bitter little twinge in my lower stomach. Why couldn't mother be like this? "Well that's always good." Those brown eyes shifted to Kaspar and she tutted softly. "What are you doing all dirty like that?"

"I was surprise attacked, Ma." Kaspar answered with an embarrassed smile. "The puppies."

Loren's eyes sparkled with laughter. "Only you, Kaspar Buckersly, could be surprise attacked by dogs." She shook her head and winked at me. "See what I have to live with, Fal?"

I laughed and got to my feet. Even though I was eight, I already reached up to Loren's shoulders. "We didn't realise you were here, sorry." I told her, the lie expertly rolling off my tongue. That was another thing Feyre and I could already easily do.

"So I believe, if you didn't come out the first fifty times I called," Loren answered with a raised eyebrow. "Anyway, to make up for it, Kaspar needs to come home now. His father is home."

Kaspar gasped behind me and even my own eyes widened. Kaspar's dad was part of the King's Guard, and rarely were they sent home. Everyone knew tat were few good reasons they were sent back, majority of those that came back apparently had 'unfixable issues that cannot remain in the Guard'. I could see the anxiety in Loren's eyes and I didn't need to turn around to see that Kaspar had tears in his eyes. His hand slipped into mine, seeking reassurance, and I squeezed his hand in silent message. _You'll be okay._

One lingering squeeze back. _Okay..._

"Well, see you then Fal," Kaspar said, trying hard to stay positive. "See ya tomorrow?"

I nodded, pasting a carefree smile on my face. "Sure. See you then!"

Together the three of us silently walked out of the kennels, though Kaspar paused at the door, turning around to look at me with eyes sparkling in worry. I pulled him close and hugged him tightly.

"No matter what happens, you will be fine. I'm here for you." I whispered to him. "You only need to send word, and I'll come for you."

He nodded on my shoulder and pulled back. "Thank you."

With one final fearful look, my best friend turned around and walked away with Loren, into their carriage, down the driveway, and out of view. Taking a deep breath, I walked out into the sunlight and nearly got run over by Nesta riding away on her horse, both their eyes blind with fear.

"RUN!" She screamed. "RUN!"

Spinning around, I grabbed my wooden sword from its place on the ground and ran into the stables. Inside, the horses reared and whinnied. The lamps on the wall above my head swing wildly back and forth, while closer to the back the lamps had spluttered out. Stepping slowly into the building with my sword pointed forward, when theee shadows in the back of the stable broke off in different directions - one going left, one going right, one coming straight down the middle - but they all paused as they saw me.

"How goes there?" I shouted. "Show yourselves!"

The shapes stayed silent.

"Answer me!" I roared at them. "Answer me you cowards!"

"Quiet yourself, little warrior. We do not mean any harm to you." Replied a soft male voice.

"You say you won't harm me, but what about everyone else here?" I growl in return.

A slight pause. "You have my word that no one here will be harmed."

Staying silent, I stubbornly clenched my jaw tighter and let the silence drag on for a few seconds. "Who _are_ you though? How do I know if I can trust you?"

Even though the man was in the shadows, when he smiled lightly at me, the dark seemed to withdraw slightly. "My name is Helion."

"Come into the light." I barked. "And your friends too."

Dipping his head minutely, Helion - whoever he was supposed to be - and his friends came forward. The two men flanking Helion stayed back on the border of the light while Helion strode into the light, illuminating his profile. Helion was tall and well muscled, with dark skin that seemed to shimmer against the white and gold armour he wore. On his head, sat a glimmering crown of golden spikes that was surrounded by long, silky looking onyx coloured hair. If the sun was ever able to be transformed into a solid body, it would be Helion.

I was just about to lower my sword when Helion tilted his head to the side, similarly studying me, when I spotted an inhuman feature that he had. Long, elegantly pointed ears. Shock ricocheted through my skull, before I started to notice a few other features. The thin, long fingers, the slim, bordering on insanely tall, very muscled body, the casual air of grace, the predatory, prowling gait.

"Fae." I breathed. "You're a Fae."

Helion smiled sadly. "Indeed I am, Falcon. Though, not just any Fae."

"How do you know my name?" I snarled. "What type of Fae are you?"

"We hear things. Like how I can hear the armed men coming this way to 'dispatch' us." The Fae snorted. "And I am a High Fae."

Caught unguarded, I stood there like a dumb idiot as I put together the pieces - connecting the stories father had told Feyre and I when we were younger. "You're a High Lord," I whispered to no one. Helion's nod was nearly enough to send me running.

I could now hear the shouts, heavy footfalls and the clanking of armour that announced the nearing arrival of the armed men that Nesta had no doubt sent. I went to run, but hesitated at the last moment.

"Go." I finally told them. "I can lie to them. Tell them she was imagining things."

Helion's eyebrows raised in curiosity. "And why would you do that so willingly?"

"Because you haven't done anything to my family. Why should you be punished for something you haven't done?"

Surprise flashed over the High Lord's face before I turned away and made to walk out of the stables but a warm hand on my shoulder stopped me.

"Come with me," Helion whispered.

"What?" I half turned to face him. "Why?"

"Everything here is going downhill for your family. Come with me, and I promise you will be safe, protected and happy. Nothing will touch you whilst you will be in my care."

"But what about my sister? What about Feyre?"

A small smile tugged on the corners of his mouth. "Trust me, you will see her."

I paused, considering, but the sound of the footsteps were closer, and I could hear the quick breaths of the men. My decision came quickly. "Let me get Feyre first, or else no."

"We don't have time now. We will come and get her soon, when you are safe." Helion's voice was urgent. "I promise."

Taking a breath, I glared at him in the eyes. "You better get her," I growled before grabbing his hand, and we whirled away, darkness and unconsciousness enveloping me with wide, caring arms.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! This first chapter started out as part of some of my schoolwork, and I enjoyed writing this piece so much that I decided to turn it into a fanfiction. Let me know if you enjoy it, and feel free to review or PM me whenever you want if you have any suggestions. I'm open to any criticism - whether it be positive or negative.**

 **This fanfiction is set in ACOMAF, and hopefully it isn't too confusing for you all, but I can assure you that the story will be explained.**

 **Anyway, enough you've probably had enough of me, so happy reading!**

* * *

 _ **(Night Court)**_

 _ **Falcon:**_

People often told me that when I wanted to, I had a seemingly endless amount of patience. _Apparently today wasn't one of those times_ came the bitter thought. With a slight sigh, I pulled one of the daggers from my belt and started fiddling with it like an impatient child. Not the twenty-year old male High Fae I was. So, what if I was impatient, starting to stress and worry? I had every reason to. Helion, High Lord of the Day Court – and Lord of my home – needed me back as soon as , the High Lord of Night – Rhysand – didn't know that, or he refused to be bothered to acknowledge it. _The pig-headed, arrogant fool._

Sighing again, I shifted from my position in the centre of the room over to the window that stood behind me, looking out onto the mountainous range of land that had been named Night Court territory. A movement in the window caught my eye and I spun around, dagger ready to throw. No one was there. Cursing myself, I turned around and realised that it was my reflection. A chuckle found its way out of my throat. _Falcon Hell-Bringer, Guardian of Day, spooked by his own reflection._

I checked the reflection, making sure I still looked presentable. A tall, broad shouldered, well muscled male looked back at me. The thick, long golden-brown hair that curled slightly at the ends – a trademark feature of my family, was matched with slightly up-tilted blue-grey eyes – another feature from my family. The dark brown, elbow length sleeved shirt I wore made my hair appear more golden as well as defining my well muscled body, while the long, black, thick pants, cloak and boots I wore drew attention to my eyes.

The brown leather belt was home to various sized and crafted daggers, while the hilt of a long sword peeked over my shoulder. All adding a dangerous air to my profile. The pale skin of my neck and arms were littered with faded scars, while a ragged, still healing scar on my left cheek brought some colour to my face. Underneath my unbound hair, pointed ears could be faintly seen, while on the back of my neck, a blazing sun scar was hidden.

Muffled voices came from behind the closed doors, but I ignored them as I leant against one of the wooden pillars. The hard wood providing a stabiliser to help keep my mood in check. The voices were both male and female, and despite my efforts to ignore them, two voices in particular, made the hairs on the back of my neck rise. Howling wind tore past the room and in half interest, I glanced outside again, wishing for the familiar fields and sloping green hills of Day.

When the doors opened, five people entered in an arrowhead formation. Rhysand was at the head, violet eyes swirling with brutal intelligence, while two females - on his right was a short, raven black haired female with swirling smoke grey eyes, while a light haired, warrior built female of equal height was on Rhysand's left - flanked him. Two heavily armed and armoured Illyrian's guarded the rear. I was half surprised to see that both Illyrian men had seven siphons each - the left one had red, the right one had blue - though Helion had already told me that beforehand.

"Falcon Hell-Bringer, Guardian of Day." The raven haired female sounded like she was holding back a yawn as she stated my name.

"Seriously, _why are all the hot guys in DAY, instead of Night?_ " Pouted blonde hair.

Cassian snorted. "Maybe because Day Court spend more time in the sun then we do?"

While they were bickering, Rhysand was standing silently, eyes roving up and down my body in silent assessment. I met his violet eyes with a cool, level gaze of my own, and a small taunting smile curled the corners of his mouth.

"Your answer, Rhysand?" I asked, crossing my arms. "My lord needs your answer as soon as possible."

"Well, you have two choices. Roll the dice to see what news you get first."

I snorted. "Bad. Bad news is one of the few things that actually has me leaping out of bed each morning -"

"And face planting straight into the wall," Cassian snickered.

"To prove them wrong." I finished with a glance at Cassian to hide my amusement.

Rhysand let out a little sigh, and I had a feeling he was fighting back his own small smile. "Guardian, I have a feeling that you may not be returning to Day as soon as you wanted."

My instincts flared at that, and I felt my jaw stiffen. My eyes must have flashed dangerously as well, as I saw the two Illyrians inch their hand slipped towards the blades strapped onto their bodies. "And why, do you think that?"

Neatly breaking out of the arrowhead formation they had still maintained, the doors into the room opened opened, and a new Fae entered the room. Unconsciously, a snarl rippled across my face, buy I faltered when I saw who entered.

Hauntingly familiar blue-grey eyes looked at me in shock, while loose golden-brown hair tumbled down her back. She was the same height as me, though not as heavily muscled or broad shouldered. Black swirls and patterns adorned one of her forearms in an artistic way that I couldn't quite understand, but then again she had been the more artist one. My twin sister Feyre, the same soul split between two bodies, stood before me. I opened my mouth to say her name, but a broken sob replaced it.

Both of her hands came up to cover her mouth as tears fell silently from her eyes, and she crumbled to the floor, shaking. I ran over to her, and fell down beside her, tears blurring my vision as I clutched her to my chest. Her arms encircled my waist, while her breath warmed my chest as her tears were absorbed into my shirt material. But I didn't care in the slightest.

My twin sister was here.

She was safe.

Feyre was alive, and we were together again.

 **(Day Court)**

 ** _Helion:_**

The study in the house would have still been better furnished if I hadn't been rudely interrupted by a half-wild beast. The beast was a large horse size, while the bear-like body moved fluidly with the silken grace of a feline. The head was distinctly lupine with a crown of massive, towering elk-like antlers atop his head. The large window behind me summoned in the beginning of the setting sun's glow, making the large, black, dagger shaped claws glint in the light while the bared yellow fangs flashed almost golden in the sunlight. Green eyes with gold flecks angrily glared blazing holes into my face, though I didn't react.

"Tamlin," I stated plainly, "would it be too much to ask of you to explain why you scared half my staff to death, nearly ripped the doors behind you off their hinges, and practically tore my favourite carpet to threads?"

I could basically see the cruel laugh rippling through his throat. "You can conjure up a new piece of cotton for all I give a shit. About your staff and doors - well I personally don't give a shit about both of them either." Those green eyes seemed to almost spit poison at me. "However, those little 'issues' can be fixed simply. The matter of which I am here for though, I feel cannot."

Beginning to be infuriated at being insulted inside my own Court, wariness too raised its head along side her brother. "And pray to the Cauldron, tell me what may this so called 'more important matter' than a carpet that has reined in this family for over twelve thousand years, and hearing that some of my most loyal and valued court members were forced into fleeing to their families in fear for their lives perhaps be?" The volume and power of my voice rose with each word until I was nearly shaking from fury. _Oh, how I needed him here with me now..._

The High Lord of Spring smiled mirthlessly at me, slowly shifting from his beast form to his natural High Fae form. Only after Tamlin had finished taking up over twenty seconds of my time and life - I was _that_ pissed that I was taking note of the tiniest details I would never usually take notice of - did he specify. "The reason why your _oh-so-precious Guardian of Day is in the Night Court_ _instead of warming your bed._ "

I snarled at him, and the guards that were flanking me drew their swords. "You have no right to make such folly and idle claims, _you half-wild beast._ _I_ didn't use another Fae's mate in my bed for my own pleasure as well as to make him loath you even impossibly more!" Tamlin took a step towards me, his eyes lighting up in dangerous challenge, but stopped when six more heavily armed guards stepped into the room. "I think it's time for you to leave, Tamlin." I spat. " _Now_."

His furious growl ricocheted through the room as he threateningly pointed a finger at me. "You and I are not finished. _No where near it_."

With that, the High Lord of Spring winnowed out of the room and out of the Court. I half turned my head to my right, and nodded at the Second-Commanding Officer of the Guard in silent order to scan the entire court in case Tamlin was still roaming. He raised an open palm up to where his heart was and bowed his head before he strode out of the room, the rest of the guards falling in behind him. Sighing, I turned around with my hands behind my back and looked longingly out the window.

 _Falcon_ , I thought. _I need you. Please be back soon. For Prythian. For Day._

 _For me._


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys!**

 **It was been a little bit since I last posted, so I thought I should make it up for you all. I haven't yet decided what day/s I'm aiming to post the chapters, though I may not be very consistent during the next two or so weeks because I'm going to be going through some pretty important tests. I do promise though if I do get any spare time during breaks or whatever, I will draft up/post a chapter.**

 **But other than that, I hope that you all enjoy this next chapter, and continue with me during the story. If any of you have any ideas about the story, I encourage you all to review or PM me any ideas that I could inherit into it. Thank you to**

 **Aaaaaand you all have probably most likely had enough of me, so I'll let you go. Happy reading!**

* * *

 ** _(Spring Court)_**

 ** _Lucien:_**

It was pretty fricking obvious when Tam arrived back.

I was sitting at a desk in the library with bare sheets of paper mixed with letters from Hybern coating the surface almost like snow. Sighing, I had only just laid down my pen when the entire room shook violently. Books fell like baby birds off their perches in the shelves, while the papers flew into the air like frightened pigeons as I swept my arm over the desk surface in fright and fell off my chair. I covered my head with my arms, waiting for the house and Tam to settle down before standing up. A few of the other heavy wooden desks in the room had fallen over, and the lamps swung wildly from their places on the walls. Chaos - that's what the room looked like.

I swallowed back my annoyance and walked out the door, pushing my hair back from my face. As I rounded the corner to start down the stairs, a pulse of furious power pushed over me and nearly knocked me over again.

" _Lucien!_ " Tamlin roared. " _Now!_ "

I rolled my eyes, but still sped up as I descended the stairs down to the main entrance. Even as I was walking towards the room, I passed around half of the house staff peeking shakily out at me, fear plain in their eyes and face. Nodding at them as I went by, they smiled gratefully at me before returning to their household tasks.

"Tamlin." I said carefully when I found him. "So, what did Helion say?"

"The prick went on about how I ruined his rug - or his carpet. I can't remember and don't care -, terrified his staff and apparently knocked a few doors off their hinges." Tamlin yanked one of his daggers out of its place in the wall with a snarl.

"So, nothing helpful?"

He spun around to face me and I could see the loathing and sarcastic anger in his eyes. "Oh, yeah sure. We were just speaking so casually about how he sent off that Falcon kid to the Night Court for some errand instead of keeping him in his bedroom to warm his bed."

I sighed again. "Tamlin, I was joking. Calm down."

"Don't you _dare_ tell me to calm down, Lucien." My High Lord snarled at me, raising the hand holding the dagger and pointing it at my face. "Not only has Rhysand stolen Feyre, but now Helion is trying to become his ally through sending Feyre's goddamned twin to them!"

I stayed silent, knowing Tamlin was too fuelled up on his anger to be spoken normally to. The High Lord of Spring turned away from me, and stalked out of the house. Just as he was walking down the stairs, he paused quickly - going deathly still that I thought he had seen something. Walking after him, I came up to his side and looked out, searching for what he might have seen.

"Lucien," said Tamlin, "I've just had an idea."

The look in his eyes that I saw when he turned towards me made me wary. "And what that idea be?"

"Did Feyre ever tell you anything about her family?" Tamlin asked, beginning to get a maniacal look in his eyes.

"Tamlin, whatever you're thinking, no. Do not stoop that low." I told him, fear beginning to make my skin prickle.

He ignored me. "I want to go to the Humanlands, Lucien. Find Feyre's family house and take her sisters."

Disgust made my stomach roil and head spin. "Tamlin, no. I will not do that."

He growled at me. "Lucien, I order you as your High Lord to go to the Humanlands and take Feyre's sisters."

I stepped into his face. " _No_. No _fucking_ way."

One second I was in his face, the next I was on my side, at the foot of the stairs with my left cheek wet and burning. I raised a hand up to cup my cheek and brought it down to look at it. It came away red and sticky. _Blood_. I recoiled away from it, and looked up at Tamlin in shock. He looked down at me murderously, no ounce of regret simmering in those glazing green and gold eyes.

"If you cannot obey one simple order, Lucien, then you are no use to me. I will get someone else to do it - someone who isn't as soft. " I flinched at his words as if he was dipping a blazing hot poker into my eyes. "Get out of my sight." He spat at me.

Gritting my teeth, I collected myself and got unsteadily to my feet. I looked up and met Tamlin's gaze. "I stayed with you for every step of the way, Tamlin. I watched you rebuild Feyre's life, and destroy it." His eyes gathered more steel when I said her name. Ignoring it, I continued. "I came to you for help when my father cast me out of his court. I have stood beside you no matter what my opinion is, never saying a word against you. But this - this is too far."

" _Get out of my sight, before I regret ever giving you the mercy to just hit you_." Tamlin bared his teeth at me in threat.

"The Cauldron have mercy on you, Tamlin." I told him before I winnowed away.

 _ **(Mortal Lands, a few hours later)**_

 _ **Elain:**_

The day was dark, the sky thick with clouds, the air smelling of rain. I was with Nesta in the library, reading and fasting on some tea that had been sweetened with some honey, when one of the maids came in. Putting down my book, I looked up and smiled at her warmly.

"Bethany? Is something of the matter?"

"Pardon me, Miss Nesta and Miss Elain. There is a young gentleman here to see you both."

I looked over at Nesta in question but she just shrugged her shoulders and stood up, placing her book on the table beside her chair. I followed suit, and together we walked out of the library. Nesta began to quietly ask the maid what the gentlemen looked like and I knew she was suspicious of who it was. I stayed silent, similarly curious about who it was but not voicing anything. When we reached the balcony that looked down on the foyer of the house, I paused, sucking in a quick breath.

Before us stood a tall, handsome looking man with short copper red hair and amber eyes. Straight backed, the man stood with his shoulders back and head held high, the effect making his eyes glitter under the light shining down into the foyer. His face seemed to be perfectly carved from clay, though when those breath taking eyes slid languidly up to spy Nesta, Bethany and I, a slow sensual smile slipped over his soft, perfectly moulded mouth. Even behind me when Nesta fell silent I knew she was taken aback from the beauty of the man below us.

"The Archeron sisters." His voice was almost like molten lava. Slow, hot and ambitious. My knees began to soften and shake. "Though however, one of you is missing - news has been spread that your youngest sister apparently ventured off to visit your aunt who was withdrawn to her deathbed. And then when she returned, your darling sister revealed she was in fact in Prythian before fleeing back over the Wall."

"And what would that matter to you?" Nesta purred with barely concealed suspicion. "Feyre had her reasons to leave, although that was a _lie_ about her 'fleeing' back over."

The man shrugged. "Merely just an observation, Miss Nesta. My regards for your loss altogether though. It is what I imagine a tragic time for you all."

"Pardon my manners, sir," I asked him - surprised at how my voice didn't betray the effects he was having on me, "but who perhaps might you be?"

"Of course, fair Miss Elain." The man bowed his head with a small smile on his face a smile he straightened up. "My apologies to you both for not remembering my manners. My name is Eris Vanserra. My homeland is beyond the oceans and lands of which we stand currently on now, a place which many people do not know of. I have come under the requests of my heart to declare my love for you, Miss Elain." My breath caught in my throat and I felt Nesta's hand slip into mine protectively. "It is my solemn wish to bring you and your family back to my homeland where my father and I shall show you the real treasures the world has granted us."

"What by perchance have you heard about my dear sister, Mister Vanserra?" Nesta snapped. "You claim to be from a land far beyond our knowledge, yet you provide no names. How would you have heard news of our whereabouts and family matters if you are so far away from our lands reach?"

Eris Vanserra smiled slowly up at us and I felt nerves rise in my stomach. Something didn't feel right. I squeezed my elder sister's hand gently to notify her something was up and she squeezed lightly back three times. _Don't move_.

"You were always going to be the harder one to persuade, Nesta Archeron," Eris laughed before the doors were slammed open, men in red and gold clothes and uniforms swarming towards us.

I screamed as Bethany was grabbed and thrown over the balcony rail down to Eris who caught her neatly before immediately drawing two sharp daggers and placing them against the maids abdomen and neck. Two men grabbed me as I tried to run away and kicked my knees out from underneath me. Nesta came up behind one and punched him in the back of his head though didn't see another sweep her legs out from beneath her. My sister landed heavily, her breath audibly whooshing out of her lungs and two men grabbed her roughly - one yanking her head up by her hair, the other pinning her arms and legs together with his body.

Eris jerked his head to the side with a cruel smile. "Bring the little kitten down here. The lioness can stay there."

" _Elain_." Nesta gasped when she saw the uniformed men start pushing me towards Erik. " _Elain, no!_ "

I whimpered at tried to thrash and go back to my sister but I heard Bethany draw in a short panicked breath followed by Eris clicking his tongue. "Now now, little kitten. That's not how you were trained." One of the men behind me pressed a blade against my back and instantly I stilled. I could practically hear the smile in Eris' voice. " _Much better_."

Behind me, Nesta started thrashing around, roaring my name but everything began to be drowned out with each step the men forced me to take - each step getting closer to those beautiful amber eyes. The cruel smile on his mouth faultered slightly when our eyes met, something strange flickering in his eyes momentarily before it vanished. When the men had brought me to Eris' side, he sheathed both the daggers and shoved Bethany away in one smooth motion, and placed a tentative hand against my cheek.

It startled me how warm and caringly he did it. His skin was calloused and rough from obvious weaponry training, though when Eris' hand touched my cheek it was gentle and smooth. A few strands of hair must have fallen out of my hairdo as a few silkly strands fell into my eyes and over Eris's hand. A small sweet smile played over his lips as he slowly and curiously tucked them behind my ear. His breath ticked my skin as those amber eyes travelled over my face and met my own ones.

Something inside me sparked then, and I had a freakishly strong urge to pull this man in front of me closer to me, for those long, beautifully muscled, elegant arms to circle around my waist, and for those velvety soft lips to come inches closer and skim lightly over my skin and I curled up in his arms, smiling. I could see something similar in those eyes of his, though there was also something else there, something deeper, more haunting and mysterious. Subconsciously I felt my mouth open to ask him about it, but I flinched away when a rough, leather clad hand clamped around one of my shoulders.

"What do you want done with her, Eris?" One of the guards gravely voice snapped the fragile moment. Eris snatched his hand away from my cheek, anger and protectiveness sparking in those eyes, though he took a step closer to me. He smelt like roasting chestnuts, crisp autumn air and wood fire smoke. My knees began to tremble harder.

"Leave her with me. Search the house for anything that can be used in order to complete the task."

"What about the other one? The lioness?" The guard on my left asked.

A smirk crinkled those perfect lips into a look of malicious danger. "Glamour her mind. You know the rest."

From my peripheral vision, I watched as both of the guards got identical wolfish grins and let me go. Now without their support, my knees finally gave out, making me sink down on the floor, clutching my hands to my chest while gasping. Dimly, I was aware of Nesta screaming my name and fighting back against the guards, though my main attention was focused on the warm hands that came down and rested on my shoulders. Without looking up, I knew it was Eris.

"Glamour her mind?" I asked him. "What is that?"

A finger reached tentatively under my chin and tilted my head up to met his eyes. His mouth was a small, tensed line, while his eyes were sorrowful and regretful.

"Eris?" I asked him again, but as I said his name those beautiful eyes shuttered closed and his head lowered.

"I am not who you think I am, Elain," He whispered.

"It doesn't matter to me who you are." I told him softly, though he still flinched. "Where will you take me?"

"To my home, like I told you."

"And Nesta? Father?"

"They will come later on, once you have settled in comfortably. I promise." Those eyes opened and met mine again.

I nodded. "As long as they're safe, and I'm going to be safe, then I'll be fine."

"I won't let anyone hurt you were I'm taking you." He growled, though I knew he was just being protective. "I'll _always_ be there for you." He leaned forward, pressing a small kiss on my forehead as his arms circled around me, and darkness closed in around us.

A few rapid heartbeats later, I was fighting back my nausea and the overpowering feeling of unconsciousness but when I saw what was around me, and where I was, everything faded away. We were standing on top of a hill that looked down into a humongous, beautiful, sprawling expanse of woods. There were so many colours to take in at once, it was almost as if it was a jewellery box, a latticework of red and gold, browns and greens - the colours so visit it was impossible not to stare.

In the distance, there was what looked like flat farmlands and fields, with little houses that were sprouted up like tree saplings. Fertile valleys with jade streams weaved around and artistically through the land below us, and at the ends of the streams, steep foothills much like the one we were standing on now leaped into gray, snowcapped mountains. A crisp, light breeze blew past us, lifting my hair up like a flag, blowing out to my side and tickling my bare arms. I could see Eris smiling slightly out of the corner of my eyes, and I couldn't help but turn to look at him in wonder.

"Do you like it?" Was I hearing incorrectly, or did he seem almost nervous?

"It's _beautiful_ ," I breathed, looking back out over the landscape spread out around us. "What is this place?"

Eris took my hand in his, and I knew just from how cautiously and carefully he did it that he was nervous. "You would never believe me, or look at me the same way if I told you," he murmured.

"I would never do that, Eris. Never."

He sighed and turned entirely to me. Gooseflesh prickled over my skin. What was wrong? Why was he acting so differently? Just as I was about to ask him, he began to change in front of my eyes. That muscled body lengthen slightly, the shoulders becoming almost impossibly broader, and his hair lengthened as well. Underneath his hair, I noticed his ears begin to change as well - the tips sharpen and began to point upwards. His fingers grew a little bit as well, though the rest of him stayed mostly the same. Something metallic filled my nostrils and mouth, and for a moment I was still confused what was going on.

Then breath caught as I realised what he was showing me. Long pointed ears. Tall, lethal body. Bright, cunning and intelligent eyes. Corded muscle covering every inch of him.

"You're Fae." I whispered, my heart fluttering like a frightened bird. Eris' beautiful amber eyes closed as his head lowered in shame and admission. "And this is Prythian?"

"Yes. Though, correctly speaking I am a High Fae." he sighed, "And this is part of Pyrthian. The Autumn Court."

"Court?"

"Prythian is composed of seven separately ruled lands called "courts" consisting of 4 seasonal courts: the Summer Court, the Autumn Court, the Winter Court, and the Spring Court, and 3 solar courts: the Night Court, the Day Court, and the Dawn Court. It also borders the Mortal Lands to the south, with the only separation between them being the Wall, and lies east of the Kingdom of Hybern." Eris told me. "Each court has its own special power type. Autumn has fire, Spring has shapeshifting and Summer has water for example."

"Who rules over the courts?" My voice sounded small, scraping the edge of scared even.

"My father, Beron, rules over this court. Spring has Tamlin, Winter has Kallias, Summer has Tarquin. The Solar Court's High Lords have Helion with Day, Thesan has Dawn, while Night has Rhysand." Was I imagining it, or did Eris's voice get a freezing tone to it?

"Tamlin was the one Feyre mentioned," I murmured, "the one she left our world - the Mortal Lands - to save, right?"

Eris nodded. "She was also the one who freed Prythian from a Fae woman who was slowly destroying us all."

"My sister did that? Truly?"

"Truly. Though in that process, your sister, uh, _changed_ slightly." I felt my forehead crinkle in confusion, but Eris shook his head. "I will explain everything later. You look dead on your feet, and you're beginning to sway slightly. Let's get you rested up, and then I will answer any questions you have for me."

I smiled in relief, and sighed gently as he picked me up bridal-style, cradling me to his chest like I was like a piece of fragile glass. My eyelids became heavy and droopy, and I began struggling to keep them open. A light chuckle rumbled through the Fae's chest my head rested lightly against, and a shiver ran down the length of my body.

"Sleep, my beautiful angel." Eris whispered as he pressed a feather light kiss on my hair. I couldn't stop the small, sleepy smile that spread over my face. "Sleep."


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys, just needed to clear something up quickly with you all.**

 **I am going overseas in two and a half weeks for three weeks, so I won't be able to update during that time. I promise I will try to update this story before I leave, but if I'm not able to,** ** _please please_** **know that I am drafting a chapter/s to upload as soon as I get back.**

 **Thank you all for reading as well, and I hope you all know how much it means to me that you are reading and enjoying this story. Now, enough of me, and on with the story! Happy reading!**

* * *

 _(Prythian)_

 _Elain:_

 _I felt my forehead crinkle in confusion, but Eris shook his head. "I will explain everything later. You look dead on your feet, and you're beginning to sway slightly. Let's get you rested up, and then I will answer any questions you have for me."_

 _I smiled in relief, and sighed gently as he picked me up bridal-style, cradling me to his chest like I was like a piece of fragile glass. My eyelids became heavy and droopy, and I began struggling to keep them open. A light chuckle rumbled through the Fae's chest my head rested lightly against, and a shiver ran down the length of my body._

 _"Sleep, my beautiful angel." Eris whispered as he pressed a feather light kiss on my hair. I couldn't stop the small, sleepy smile that spread over my face. "Sleep."_

* * *

 ** _(Prythian, Night Court, a few days later)_**

 ** _Rhysand:_**

Sighing exhaustedly, my head dropped into my hands in defeat. All this organisation between the High Lords was tiring the fuck out of me, and it seemed like the load would never lighten. A slight shuffle behind me caught my attention, and a small knock at the door made me smile.

"Come in," I answered.

The door opened and Falcon stepped into the room, his eyes shadowed with barely hidden curiosity and wariness. "I knew you could hear me before I knocked, but I figured that it would be polite to knock anyway." He told me as he tucked a strand of that long golden brown hair behind his ear.

It still made me pause how perfectly similar the twins were to each other - not only in behaviour, attitude, thought process, but also the physical appearance. The other day I had called out to Falcon thinking it was Feyre, but realised when he turned to me that I had mistaken my mate for her brother. Cassian still taunted me about that whenever he saw me, and even Azriel had snuck a jab or two at me about it to everyone's surprise.

"Well, I must admit that I am pleasantly surprised that someone here remembers their manners, let alone respects the common decency of privacy," I made it clear enough to Cassian who had just landed on the roof above Feyre and my room's roof and gone dead silent all of a sudden, "but thank you altogether. What can I do for you?"

"I was just wondering if you knew anything about what happened the other day," Falcon asked with his eyes narrowing slightly at the corners.

"Does this have anything to do with Amren and my dear cousin?" I asked him, amusement rising up in my chest.

Recently, Mor and Amren had barricaded themselves in Amren's apartment to 'work a few things out', though they had never specified what sort of things they were 'working out'. They also were being immensely stubborn about not telling any of the rest of us about it - however, I was beginning to think that Feyre knew something about it.

I could see similar amusement beginning to make those blue-grey eyes shine in a devilish way. "No, it doesn't actually. I've kind of given up trying to get them to tell me about whatever is going on in that apartment." A coarse chuckle tore out of my throat, and a careless smile spread over Falcon's face. "Although, what I have to tell you needs to be heard without _certain ears in the roof overhearing._ " Oh, I would have paid good money to see Cassian's face right now. I've gotta give it to him though: Falcon was _good_. Very, _very_ good.

No matter how hard I tried at that time, I couldn't help the silent smirk that slipped over my face. I could see the muscles in the Archeron twin's face straining as he bit his lip to keep from smirking back at me. Within seconds, great booming wingbeats echoed overhead as Cassian flew away, though not before a waterfall of curses rushed through the bond I shared with my General. That time did a laugh rasp out of me, and to my complete and utter surprise, Falcon let out a small bark of twinkling, warm laughter too. I blinked in surprise, shocked at finally hearing the first amused noise out of him during his time here so far. I don't think even Feyre had heard him laugh.

Though, the happy feeling soon was dispatched from the atmosphere as Falcon's face turned deathly cold. "Have you heard anything, shall we say... _peculiar_... from the Autumn Court in any of the messages that have been sent out within the past few days?"

I furrowed my brow in thought. "No," I began slowly, though I knew I sounded like I was saying it to hide something, especially with Falcon's little tightening in the left corner of his mouth. "though, the Autumn Court has always been one that I have never entirely trusted. People can hide things a lot easier when they don't speak to each other face to face, and from the way you are looking at me right now, and a few signs I'm getting through their letters, they are hiding something. However, what exactly they are hiding, is something that they aren't revealing lightheartedly."

Feyre's twin snorted with his lips curling back to bare his teeth at me, giving him the look of a feral animal. "The Autumn Court, is damn fucking right hiding something." Something flashed out of his hand before landing heavily on my desk in front of me. I barely hid my flinch. How did he throw that so quickly? I had barely seen it coming. "Helion contacted me. After I left for here, Cauldron fucking Tamlin came."

I raised my own eyebrow. "Dear Tamlin paid your High Lord a visit?"

One second he was standing just inside the room, the next he was standing right in front of me, hands planted firmly on the desk edges, teeth centimetres from my face. "That half-wild bastard who nearly killed my sister came and threatened my High Lord within his own Court before winnowing away, throwing his own emissionary out of his court, and contacting Beron - Beron from _Autumn Court_ \- to kidnap my sister!" By the end, Falcon was roaring in my face and I could feel the blood drain out of my face with each word he said.

"Tamlin threw Lucien out, and then told Beron to kidnap your sister?" I asked, dumbfounded. "Feyre is here though, safe from either of his hands. Why are you so -" I paused, remembering. "Oh."

"Oh? _OH?_ That's all you can say?! Gods damned Beron's sons came and raided my family's house, taking Elain and then glamoured my Father and Nesta's minds to make them believe she just went to see some suitor who was interested in her! And yet all you can say is ' _oh?'_ "

I looked away from his face, away from the murder, pain and hurt that boiled in those ferociously blazing eyes. I couldn't bare to look at them, look at the reflection of my shocked, ashen looking face. "I didn't know," I whispered.

"Damn fucking right you didn't know, you bastard sucking prick. What's Feyre going to say when she finds out?" Horror dawned on me. Oh gods. Shit, Feyre didn't know yet. If this is how Falcon reacted, how was Feyre going to react?!

"You haven't told her?" I asked hoarsely.

"I got the note minutes before I came to see you." He growled, finally withdrawing. He stalked over to his place by the door, his entire frame clenched tight in unshed fury. My heart went out for him, though I knew that there was no way for me to ease his anger right now. "So no, of course I haven't been able to contact my sister."

"Has Helion been able to contact his spies about Elain's health and wellbeing so far?" My voice wobbled in anxiety. Oh Feyre. Oh, Cauldron why did this have to happen now, and to her?

Falcon shook his head. "All the have reported back is that Elain is being kept under close guard, though the intervals at which the shifts change are different each day. To make matters worse, she's being kept company by Eris." I swore I saw the ghost of claws shimmer across his fisted knuckles then. A shudder ran down my back - in fear or a mixture of emotions, I didn't know.

"Why Eris of all people?" I mused out loud. "All he consists of is cold hearted, brutal murder. Not an ounce of care or fragility in any molecule of his body."

Falcon snorted again. "None of Beron's sons do, aside from Lucien. But then again, I'm as clueless as you are about why Eris of all of Beron's bastards."

I sighed and shook my head as I stood up. "I'll get Azriel to get his spies onto it, and I'll start thinking of some ways we can get Elain out of there."

Falcon's eyes were almost snake like. The chill came back. "I've already got a personally trained platoon of soldiers going into the Mortal Lands to protect the remaining members of my family in case Tamlin or Beron plan to attack again. Helion has send out messages to the other High Lords notifying them of what has happened, and asking them if they knew anything about this, or if they know anything else about Elain. I'm going to personally go pay Tamlin a visit to see what is going on as well. _Alone_." He added when I opened my mouth to stop him.

"No," I told him sharply. "I will not allow you to go. Can't you see that this is what Tamlin wants? He _wants_ you to react to him, so that he can claim you attacked him while he didn't nothing to the Day or Night Court's. If he does that, _war_ will start to be factored into this, and we cannot bare to fight two wars now. Hybern is gathering strength and allies within Prythian already, and I suspect Tamlin is one of them.

"You are not going, Falcon." I told him, stepping around my desk and walking over to him.

"And if I go?" He snarled, meeting me halfway.

I took a breath and steeled my eyes with merciless ice. "Then you will not be welcome back into the Night Court."

He took a step back from me with a loud snarl and winnowed away. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart down, but it didn't work. _Feyre._ Cauldron, _how_ was I going to tell Feyre about any of this? About Elain? About Falcon? About Tamlin and Beron? My entire body shuddered, and I slumped down on the floor when my legs and knees gave out from underneath me. I hung my head hopelessly, and didn't care who saw me.

I just sat there on my knees, in the study, and cried.

 _ **(Spring Court, same day)**_

 _ **Ianthe:**_

Gasping, I tried to regain my breath as I placed a hand on the High Lord's bare chest adoringly. We were together in a meadow a few hills away from the house, and no one was with us. A small, content laugh bubbled in my throat, and I kissed his neck tenderly. Tamlin's nostrils flared slightly, and he lazily turned his head towards me.

"You always somehow manage to find ways to surprise me, Tamlin." I sighed as he smiled slowly at me. "How you do it, I never know." He turned entirely towards me now, and my core warmed as he pressed himself tightly against me.

One of his rough, calloused hands came up and ran lightly down my right breast, and trailed sensually down the length of my chest, abdomen, and traced lightly around the middle of my legs. My blood began heating up extremely then, and I squirmed against him, needing the feel of those nimble fingers again. A laugh rumbled through his chest and my eyes fluttered closed as I let out short, sharp breaths.

"Like that do you?" He purred.

"Even more when you travel a little lower and farther in," I growled at him pushing and grinding my hips against his hard ones. I felt the thick, muscled length of him tighten and I ground against him harder, silently begging for him.

He began kissing down my cheeks, neck and collarbone, leaving a fiery trail in his wake. Lower that demonic and amazing mouth of his travelled, until he found the peaked, hardened tips of my breasts. The hand down between my legs began swirling closer and harder against me, making me moan his name. He nipped at my breast, and flicked his tongue over the nipple which made me gasp. His manhood became impossibly harder, nudging demandingly forward, though Tamlin held himself back. As he sucked my nipple into his mouth, those fingers slid in quickly, pumping and thrusting hard.

I screamed wordlessly, my hips buckling against those fingers and moaned low in my throat as he roughly bit and sucked at my breast. He growled around me, and pumped his fingers in impossibly harder, making me gasp and thrust against them, wanting and needing him deeper in me, harder against me. Snarling, he tore his mouth away from my breast and kissed down my stomach, replacing his fingers with his mouth and tongue. My hands clutched tightly at his hair groaning and screaming my delight as he lapped at the wet expanse he found between my legs.

"Tamlin," I moaned, "Tamlin, _oh_ Tamlin. _Yesss, ohh, yes_. More Tam. _More_."

After a few more licks, he looked up at me from between my legs, and I tried to calm my ragged breathing. His claws were out, and his eyes had a wild, predatory look in them. I bared my teeth at him, and he growled back at me. Slowly, oh so torturously slowly, he came back up to my face, before he placed a hand on my shoulder, gently pushing me down against the ground. My heart kicked into a hard gallop, and I felt him lean over my back, kissing down between my shoulder blades and down my spine as he straddled me from behind.

Panting, I turned my head to the side and looked up at him through my peripheral vision. My beautiful High Lord looked so natural, so comfortable, so elegant and so kingly as he perched himself behind me. Those green eyes glowed while the golden flecks that swam within the depths shone like the sun itself. Unbound, his hair billowed out behind him in the slow, caressing breeze that blew over the hills. The light sheen of sweat covering the length of his body made him seem to glow even brighter than Helion and Thesan combined. Perfect. My High Lord was absolutely perfect.

"Ianthe?" He asked. "Is everything alright?"

"Not until you fuck me hard enough that Rhysand can hear me roaring your name, it's not." I snarled at him. The cruel smile he gave me was one of full blooded animal. Within three strokes, I was seeing stars.

A few hours later when we were spent, we walked back to the house hand in hand. Alis, Feyre's old maid came running out to meet us, though she pointedly ignored our intertwined hands while she spoke with Tamlin.

"High Lord, you may want to come quickly. The rest of the staff and I have been looking for you both for over an hour. You have a visitor, my Lord."

I glanced at Tamlin in surprise. He hadn't told me that he was supposed to have a visitor today. By his confused face, he clearly hadn't been expecting one either.

"Who is this visitor?" I asked, with enough force behind it to make it clear I was going to get an answer from the wrench.

Alis cut a barely concealed glare of hate towards me, while her reply came from tightly clenched teeth. "They will not take their hoods off, so I am unable to tell you."

"Hoods? Before you made it out that there was only one of them."

"Yes, there is more than one." She snapped at me before looking back to Tamlin. Rage flooded my veins. The fucking whore of a bitch. "Tamlin, they are requesting that you immediately come. It was plain from when they arrived that they have very short tempers and patience."

My High Lord closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm his anger fuelled pulse. When he opened his eyes, he nodded at Alis. "Take us to them." He told her. Alis clearly wanted me to not come to the meeting, though she held her tongue and walked briskly off.

I smirked at her retreating form and together Tamlin and I followed after her. When we had climbed up the stairs leading to the frontal area of the house, a strong, familiar scent filled my nostrils. Dread filled thoughts cannoned around my mind, but I couldn't run away. We already stood before one of the hooded figures. Dark, heavy looking material covered the figure from head to toe, and no features of gender could be distinguished. This person even had somehow been able to hold back their scent as to hide who they were as well. Clever. No symbols or signs of their Court were shown either.

I looked around, but could only see one of them - and that was the one that was standing in front of Tamlin and I. Was Alis merely tricking about there being more than one? The entire room was alight with steady sunlight that streamed through the windows above the double doors that stood looking over us all, the windows beside the doors, and the chandeliers and torch braziers were providing some light as well. I felt my nostrils flare in annoyance at Alis, but subconsciously my jaw stiffened as the hooded figure in front of us raised their hands and drew back the hood over their face.

As the hood fell, the rest of the cloak fell away, revealing a High Fae beneath it. Granted, maybe if you were a human, the male would have been handsome, with ruddy skin and inky black hair that framed a rather plain face against that of a usual High Fae. With a muscular build, the King of Hybern wore sturdy, practical dark brown coloured clothing that drew attention to his cold, calculating eyes. Even by looking at him, you could tell that this man would to anything to ensure himself a win during a battle - including willingly sacrificing the lives of his own soldiers or relatives.

After experience, the King is also willing to negotiate peacefully, although with the shadowy intelligence that could sometimes be seen in his eyes was dark enough to make me edgy and not entirely trust him. Deep down I had a feeling that he would betray him at any point, though when he would, we would never know until it was too late. After seeing what's he could do with his half of the Book, it was evident that Hybern was an avid student in the magical arts, keeping many powerful spells within a spell book that could be seen being carried around constantly with him. It was also the King that had learned where to find the Cauldron, how to reassemble it and how to use it as a weapon. It was also pretty easy to see that he was always eager to get his hands on a new piece of magic.

From his cloak that puddled around him, two shapes formed out of the material. Standing on either side of him, the two shapes soon solidified into High Fae as well. One was male, the other female, and it was plain that the three of them were related.

"Hybern." Tamlin started, his hand slipping casually out of mine. "You surprise me with your arrival here today. What are you doing here, may I ask?"

"High Lord. I merely just wanted to introduce my niece and nephew to you."

"Apologises if this seems rude of me, but didn't Feyre Archeron kill your niece and nephew?" I asked the King.

A snakes smile slithered over his face. "Yes, Miss Archeron killed Dagdan and Brannagh, however these are their younger siblings. They are faster, stronger, deadlier, and a lot less easy to kill than their dead brother and sister. Unlike the other two, these two aren't twins. There's about 18 months age difference, however age doesn't matter when the skill levels are equal."

"What might the names of these two be?" Tamlin asked politely.

Gesturing to each of them in turn, Hybern introduced them. "This here, is my niece Emerzara. And my nephew, Saliaqu. Both are strong daemati, and independent. If they need anything, they can rely on each other to get it. You will not need to worry about either of them."

"Why are you telling us all this?" I asked him, finally voicing the question that had been nagging at the corner of my mind.

That smile widened enough that the hair of the back of my neck stood up and a chill spider walked down my lower spine. "Dearest Ianthe, haven't you realised yet? Tamlin has it already, and I'm quite surprised to be honest that you haven't either."

Looking to Tamlin, he turned to me and told me with a dumbfounded, numb look on his face. "They're taking Dagdan and Brannagh's places here as the Hybern's emissionaries."

I whirled around to face Hybern again, rage built up too much in my blood that I couldn't control it. Only, I found that the King of Hybern had disappeared, leaving Emerzara and Saliaqu with us. My mouth dropped open in silent anger, and I stood there fuming. Tamlin squeezed my hand gently, and told the two Fae that they can do whatever they needed to do at the moment, and could ask any questions that's they have during dinner tonight before walking away, tugging me along behind him. Only when we were alone did I throw myself into his arms, barely stopping the tears flowing openly down my cheeks.

"Why?" I whispered venomously. "Why does he have to do this?"

Tamlin traced patterns over my back, soothing me quietly. "We agreed to his terms, and this was part of them. Emerzara and Saliaqu will only be here for a week or two, until they have enough information and a good enough layout of the land to take back and report to Hybern. Then they'll be gone."

"How do you know?" I sobbed against his chest, blessing the Cauldron that he was here to keep me stable and centred.

"Because I know Hybern. And I am High Lord of this Court, so I can tell them or Hybern if I feel they have overstayed their welcome here. I won't let them do anything to you, or our Court Ianthe. I promise."


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys!**

 **Nothing much to say here, other than I'm getting really excited about this chapter. Also, I feel like I should have maybe put in a little warning for the last chapter - so sorry about that. I really did not mean to do something that detailed or visual (so I'm sorry at how unexpected it was and if it was a little confronting).**

 **Also, for those who didn't read the bold last time, I a mother going on a trip overseas in a few days so I will be unable to update this story for the next three weeks. Hopefully you all are alright with that, and I promise there will be a few chapters coming out immediately after I arrive back to make up for the break.**

 **But other than that, I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and happy reading!**

* * *

 _(Spring Court)_

 _Ianthe:_

 _"Why?" I whispered venomously. "Why does he have to do this?"_

 _Tamlin traced patterns over my back, soothing me quietly. "We agreed to his terms, and this was part of them. Emerzara and Saliaqu will only be here for a week or two, until they have enough information and a good enough layout of the land to take back and report to Hybern. Then they'll be gone."_

 _"How do you know?" I sobbed against his chest, blessing the Cauldron that he was here to keep me stable and centred._

 _"Because I know Hybern. And I am High Lord of this Court, so I can tell them or Hybern if I feel they have overstayed their welcome here. I won't let them do anything to you, or our Court Ianthe. I promise."_

* * *

 ** _(Winter Court, the next day)_**

 ** _Viviane:_**

The hallway that I walked down was silent aside from the soft patter of footfalls that chimed around myself and my handmaids. Past paper white walls that had been painted with the stories of former High Lords we walked, the colours mixing up a swirl of colour in my clear, thoughtless mind. Had they been threatened like we were now? Did Hybern ever pose a threat to their existence before now?

Subconsiously, I stopped outside one of the spare bedrooms that was kept for visiting guests. The door into the room was painted to suit the court member that visited, the colours and decorations inside the rooms and connecting doors dependant to the court as well. Each court had their own level and set of rooms in this wing of the house, and the current door I stood before was adorned with a mix of gold leaf, orange and peach paints that were all perfectly blended together into one beautiful ball of fire - the sun. Hues of blues symbolised the sky and rivers that ran along the rich, rolling green fields.

Taking a breath, it almost seemed like I was watching from a distance as my hand raised and knocked just beneath the painted surface of the sun. A few heartbeats later, I nearly missed a hoarse voice softly call out to me.

"Enter."

Nodding to my handmaids that they could take their leave, I entered the room. Inside, the windows were open to allow the dim light of dawn to bring a little colour into the room. It was furnished to suit the court like the door, with the walls being a soft, daffodil yellow, the carpeted floor decorated to look like a forest floor with dainty colourful flowers, streams and pebbles. The ancient birch wood furniture gave the room a sophisticated look, and the king sized bed that sat beneath the main window had carved suns in the wood. The curtains that hung off to the sides of the windows were golden silk, sparkling in the gradually strengthening light.

At first, I couldn't spot the room's occupant, though a movement behind one of the curtains gave away his position. Only, after that movement, I realised that it was just a small breeze blowing through the open window. Confusion and wariness made my senses go on high alert. Where was he?

"Guardian?" My voice wavered slightly at the end, giving away my emotions. I inwardly cursed myself. "Where are -"

"I'm here."

Spinning around in shock, I had completely missed him as I had walked in. He was in the shadows of the doorframe, one of the places that was the most shadowed currently. His long, unbound hair was disheveled, while his blue-grey eyes were dim in colour with exhaustion and hopelessness. The clothes he wore were the same from yesterday - tight fitting, dark coloured fighting leathers; a long, heavy looking mottled dark grey and black covered his entire frame; dark, shin high fighting boots that I suspected had hidden blades in them, but I hadn't asked in case I provoked him - were creased slightly, though other than that, he still seemed like the same person that came to my mate and I yesterday.

"How are you this morning?" I asked politely, hoping I could at least get him to speak a bit more than yesterday.

He shrugged. "Well enough, thank you."

"Rhysand contacted Kallias last night, asking if we had seen you at all."

The twin of Rhys's mate went deathly still, and I watched with maternal pain as those eyes turned suspicious, frightened, and dangerous. An animalistic growl rumbled in his chest.

Holding up a hand, I attempted to calm him down. "We told him we had not, like you requested. As long as you are here, you are safe Falcon."

"The house staff?"

"Sworn to secrecy. None of them will contact the High Lord about your whereabouts. You have my word."

A small grunt came from him. Falcon Archeron strode out of the shadows, and crossed the room to one of the smaller windows beside the bed and pushed open the glass door. Following him quietly out, I leant against the wall as he sighed, resting his elbows against the balcony railing and looked out without really seeing anything. I knew from the small tilt in his head that he was deep in thought or memories, so I stayed silent, letting him think. After about a minute, he turned to me.

"To be truthful with you, I am curious as to why you haven't interrogating me about why I'm here, or what I have a High Lord breathing down my neck, looking for me."

My turn to shrug now. "I didn't want to ask in case I provoked you, or stepped over a sensitive line."

He snorted. "You think of me like a wild animal, with no self control."

"I think of you as someone who is wanting to protect his family from the danger of Hybern and any Court that the King has potentially lured into an alliance with him. I think you are someone who would do anything for those he loves, even if it means losing his own life. I think you have been a fighter and a strategist for so long that you are forgetting that many people fear you, and are potentially doing this to remove you from the list of their threats."

Falcon was silent for a few heartbeats, and I began to feel like I had truly stepped over a line until he spoke again. "Are you one of those people?"

I took a moment to think about it. "When I first heard of you, I thought it was just rumours about how you were." I began slowly, though with each sentence I felt a little more stable. "But when I first saw you in Amarantha's Court, and heard your roar of pain when she killed our sister, I knew you were something else. I knew, that you were like Feyre in the sense that you would protect, be entirely loyal and utterly devoted to the people you cared about more than yourself.

"When I first visited Day after the end of Amarantha's rule, I saw you fighting and training the soldiers, and I knew that what I had heard about you was not false. When you came up later into the dining room, you were a completely different person. You were still the loyal protector, though this was more in an emissionary way. You weren't the blood-lustful beast that people whispered fearfully about. You weren't the rage fuelled monster that people made you out to be. You were a passionate, caring person that wanted the best for his Court, and the best for the land.

"The people that had spread those rumours never had actually stopped and spoken to you, or even heard you speak. They based their views off what they had seen, and what they had heard you were like - before shaping it in their own way, making you seem worse then ever. Those people were worse than you, because they never realised that underneath the warrior that is shown, there is a whole other person. The warrior shown, I feel that is a shield around yourself, to protect a heart that rarely people get to see.

"So no, I am not one of those people that fear you. I am not one of those people that see you as a threat. Because I see you as the person that you really are underneath all of those layers. I see you as an overlooked person that most people see and turn tail running. But I am not one of those people. You intrigue me, Falcon Storm-Summoner. You interest me, because of how much of a puzzle you appear to be."

The man in front of me was silent again, and I watched as his Adams Apple bobbed up and down in his throat when he swallowed quickly. His eyes were closed, fists clenched tight around the railing, the knuckles going white from the vice tight grip. Falcon's entire body was tensed up, and I stepped up beside him, resting a hand on his shoulder lightly. Even though he had heard and felt me coming over, he flinched as I laid my hand on his shoulder.

"I want to get to know you, Falcon. I want to see what really lies safely behind all the walls you throw up. I want to be your ally - and your friend." I whispered softly to him.

I don't know how long we stood there for, but in the distance a chorus of wolf howls began a slow tune tune, accompanied soon after by the occasional deep, timbre of a elk or moose braying. Closely following, birds began a melody, chirping along to the rhythm, with the wind bringing the eloquent crescendo of a waterfall to create a beautiful masterpiece. I got a slight shock however, when Falcon began humming along, singing a few words here and there before going back to humming.

"You know this song?" I asked, curiously.

A small smile played over his mouth. "I grew up in my family home with this song. My mother would play the fiddle, Elain on the piano, Nesta on the flute, while Feyre and I sang. The song wasn't in the common tongue either, as our mother came from a distant land. She taught us this song, as well as her native language, though the last time we all came together for this song was months before mother died."

"How did your mother die?"

"Typhus," Falcon replied quietly. "It took months though for her to be bedridden, she was that fierce of a fighter." He paused momentarily, before continuing in a softer tone. "She always gave the outcome that she despised us though, but deep down I knew she loved us, no matter how much she tried pushing us all away."

"How old were you, when your mother passed?"

"I was eight. Helion came and took me after mother passed, telling me that he would get Feyre when it was safe, however I never saw her until Under the Mountain. Even then, twelve years later, I could barely recognise the woman physically, though inside I could tell her immediately." A huff of rasping laughter made his body vibrate slightly. "My eyes were telling me one thing when I saw her, but my instincts were saying another. I barely knew which one to believe."

"Did you end up believing one of them in the end?"

Again, the huff of laughter. "To be real with you, no. I didn't. I just stayed at the back of the room, making sure I could barely see her while Amarantha played her little games with my sister. But on the final challenge, I made myself come forward, and take a closer look. It was then when I really found out that the mortal woman in front of me was my sister, but I could do nothing to stop what Amarantha was doing.

"When the bitch died under Tamlin's power, Helion winnowed me away to Day against my will, and kept me there until he came back." Falcon took a breath and let it sigh out between his lips. "That was the last time I saw Feyre until a few days ago."

We stayed out on the balcony for hours, talking about ourselves, allowing each other to get to know us. Only after the sun had risen high enough into the sky did I pause and take notice that it was nearly midday and neither of us had eaten anything. I only had to glance over at Falcon to know he was thinking the same thing.

"Lunch break?" I offered.

"Please." He smiled warmly. "Lead the way."

Together we walked back into the tower, only this time, we were closer to each other than I had ever pictured us to be within a couple of days.

 _ **(Day Court)**_

 _ **Helion:**_

"Helion." A rich, strong voice filled my ears and pushed down the worry that was eating away my sanity. "You called for me?"

"Thesan," I turned to the High Lord of Dawn. "You came, brother."

My older half-brother smiled. "You call, I answer. That was the way between us when we were kids, so why should it change?"

"Because maybe we are both over 500 years of age now?"

We both chuckled for a few brief moments, before falling into a familiar, comfortable silence. I walked over to Thesan and wrapped my arms around my last remaining family member. Within seconds, Thesan's arms came around me, pressing me tightly against his chest.

"Nothing yet?" He whispered softly, the words rumbling audibly through his chest, making a vibrating sound.

"Nothing. He's practically dropped off the side of the earth."

My brother sighed. "We'll find him, Lion. I promise."

"What if we find him too late? What if Hybern has him, or Tamlin, or even Beron? What if -"

"What if you stop for just a second, and take a breath. What if all you need to do is take a step back, and in doing so you may find out something you never may have thought of in your current state?"

I paused. "What do you mean?"

"You've been so headstrong in the search for Falcon, that I feel you haven't taken in the full situation. Think about it, Lion. Where would be the place you would go to hide, if you were Falcon? What might have driven you to go there?"

"I would go to the Mortal Lands, to talk to my family - see if they remember anything at all."

"Anywhere else?"

I could feel my forehead furrow in thought. "A Court, that most people would never think of. One that I have had longtime bonds with, and know a few people on the inside."

"What Court would that be, do you think?"

"Rhysand has scoured the entirety of the Night Court, and found nothing. We both have asked if any of the other Courts may know of his whereabouts, and Winter, Dawn and Summer have replied - leaving Spring and Autumn silent."

"Have you further contacted them?"

I shook my head. "I highly doubt Falcon would move towards either of the Courts so quickly, so he may be in the Mortal Lands."

"Or," Something in Thesan's voice made me look up warily, "one of the Courts is hiding something from you."

"Who do you think may be the faker?"

"I don't know for certain, but I can get my spies to ask around if you wish."

"Would you do that?"

Thesan smiled. "You are my little brother. What you care about, I care about. What you want, I do. You request - within reason - I obey."

The amount of gratitude I felt toward my half-brother made me feel slightly lightheaded. "You have my immense thanks, brother."

"I warn you though, do not get your hopes up. Nothing may come up, and I cannot bare to see you even more broken than you are now."

"Either way, you have my thanks, Thesan."

He smiled down at me. "Anything for you, Helion." Something flickered and changed near the backs of his eyes. "But now, I must take my leave. Something is amiss in Dawn."

"Fair winds and days, brother. Take care." I told him, hoping to ease a little of his tension with a old phrase our father had always said.

The phrase worked, a broad smile tugging on the corners of his lips. "Fair winds and days to you too, brother." With that, he gave me a final smile before winnowing away.

After my brother left, I turned around, pressing my back into the wall behind me. Then, without meaning to, I slid slowly down the walls surface and sat there numbly, lost in the endless shadowy depths of loneliness and terror.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys! Guess who's back from her trip overseas? Hope you all weren't too bored without the chapters begin updated, and as promised in the last chapter, I will be making up the break to you all by updating more if I can until I've caught up a little. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and happy reading as always!**

* * *

 ** _(Night Court, a couple of days later)_**

 ** _Feyre:_**

I had never seen Rhys like this before.

He was in complete and utter frantic mode as we scraped talons through each Court in search for Falcon, and I knew there was another reason he was telling any of us why he was so stressed and panicked.

After an immensely long, tiring day of searching the Dawn Court - with Thesan's permission, of course - I walked out of my mate and my shared bathroom with a billow of steam flaring out behind me. I saw Rhys sitting on the bed with his back to me, wings lowered in defeat and walked over to him softly. My heart melted and fluttered in my chest with each step I took toward him, and my the time I rose onto my knees behind him, my towel had 'just happened' to slip down my breasts and rested snugly underneath them.

Already peaked against the growing chill in the air, I pressed myself up against his back, carefully avoiding those precious, sensitive wings I adored to much, I kissed down his jawbone, his neck, and over his muscled shoulders, before coming back to the soft spot that connected the neck and shoulder. A rough groan slipped out of Rhys's mouth, and I smiled against him as I felt him shift against me. Before I knew it, I was on my back, towel in a heap on the floor, and Rhys was snarling in pleasure as he swiftly entered me within two hard, demanding thrusts.

Together, we united again after months of separation. Well, we had been together, but not to this scale. After a couple of hours, late into the night did we stop, and fall into an exhausted sleep. By the time I woke up hours later, the side of Rhys's bed was cold. His scent was faded slightly, telling me that he had been gone for a couple of hours. With a sigh, I rolled out of bed in a very un-High Ladylike way, and padded downstairs after wrapping a soft, baby purple fleece gown around myself.

At the foot of the stairs, I paused, inhaling the smells of crispy bacon, toast, freshly baked bread and pastries, fried eggs, pancakes, buttered rolls, fruit salad, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and other breakfast foods, I was nearly bowled over by a racing Cassian. Azriel came down after him - a _lot_ calmer than his Illyrian brother - and helped to steady me with caring, warm hands, and a small brotherly smile my way before walking beside me to the dining room. Nuala and Cerridwen had really out done themselves with this feast.

A plate had been placed in the kitchen sink I noticed with a quick glance - with my mate's scent on it, still a couple of hours old - before sitting down at the table and diving in alongside the two Illyrian males and Mor. Nesta - who we had gone and found at my family's house, and brought back with us a few days ago to help search for Elide and Falcon - stayed quiet as she walked in a couple of minutes later and sat down to eat, so the four of us filled the silence with playful taunts, Court business, and just plain stuff - not mentioning either of my missing two siblings. I had just stuffed a chocolate pastry into my mouth curtesy of a dare from Cassian when a hesitant knock on the door interrupted us.

Cassian and Az both reached for their blades as I blew a small breeze inside towards us, allowing us to scent who was outside. A growl slipped out of Cassian when he matched the scent to a name, and both Az and I echoed one each straight after him. Standing up slowly with deathly calm, I stalked towards the door, feeling the Shadowsinger and Illyrian General fall in behind me as I stopped at the door, took a breath, and waited until the intruder knocked again on the door before I snapped the door open, scaring the shit out of who waited on the overside - much to my satisfaction.

A tall, handsome young man with blue eyes, brown hair and a solid build filled my vision, while the weak scent of mortality and fear swept through the entirety of my nostrils. Behind me, I barely heard the twins take Nesta away so that she didn't come and tear who stood in front of me into tiny bits over the roaring of my rage and hatred that pounded through my body. The human must have seen the loathing and honed steel in my eyes as the flinched back and lowered their eyes in submission, though not before I saw the hatred in his eyes. It made me want to rip that fragile throat out even more.

"Graysen." My voice snapped through the air, as brutal and pain blessed as a whip cracked through the tense atmosphere. "Why did you cross over the wall and come here?"

"Elain. Is Elain here?" His voice betrayed his obvious fear, even as he tried to desperately to hide it.

"No. My sister is not here. Whether or not she was here, you would never see her. You destroyed her too badly for anyone in my family to forgive you, mortal. You shattered her life around her when you ended the betrothal, and she is barely holding onto life as it is even months after what you did. You will find no forgiveness here, if that is why you came here, human. Leave my sight immediately if that is indeed the reason, before my patience snaps and I unleash these two on you."

Graysen's eyes widened as he took in the two winged warriors behind me, blades half out of their sheaths and the predatory looks that twisted their faces into something nothing of this world. I hid my shudder. I hadn't seen them this wild with rage, either. His throat bobbed up and down three times as he tried - and failed, again - to disguise his fear, and he took what I supposed was meant to be a steadying breath.

"No, I did not come to beg your forgiveness. I came to speak to Elide, without any of you Fae eavesdropping on anything."

"Unless you provide me with a more relevant reason of why you want to talk to my sister, you will be sent back to your shithole of a home. Of course, after a customary Night Court welcome." I purred, letting a cold, death ridden gleam shine brightly in my eyes as I bared my teeth at him ferally.

"Please, Feyre. I need to talk to her - the matter is urgent. You cannot know, because it is something only relevant to Elide."

A snarl from Cassian, and Graysen had jumped about a good two metres back in fright. "This is my final warning. You will not see her unless you tell me _what_ is going to be said, _what_ it is about, and _why_ it is only relevant to my sister. If you cannot tell me, then get out of my Court, and never come back - unless you have a very slow, musical death wish." I shot into his mind, wrapping mental talons around it, relishing his terror and pitiful attempts to get me to release my grip. With a slow, purposeful scrape down his attempts of a shield, did he freeze up completely.

Another ferocious, razor coated smile at the mortal lords son had him spilling the entire story to me about why he needed to see Elide so desperately. I still found it amazing how easily mortals could crack under the pressure of fear.

 ** _(Night Court, Illyrian Mountains, same day)_**

 ** _Lucien:_**

I slammed into the near knee-deep snow on the ground, nearly passing out from exhaustion. I knew I couldn't stay here in the snow for long, and already the snow was melting through my thin, cotton clothes. Struggling to my feet, I staggered through the strange, mountain camp that housed what seemed like warriors after scanning over my surroundings quickly. But apparently not quick enough.

One second, I was on the ground, then the next, I was lifted brutally up into the air by a pair of strong, leather covered hands. Shivering at the cold air and my now saturated clothes, I let out a spooked bellow, which was cut short by the Fae carrying me.

"Close it you fucking Autumn Court bastard. It's just a little height."

After that I shut up hastily, and barely managing to keep my stomach down as we rose, fell, swiftly turned and evaded the tall, snow coated trees that grew up on the mountains here. Wing beats boomed overhead along with the roaring wind that whistled past as we flew through the skies. When we reached an opening in the trees, we swooped down far too quickly for my stomach or brain's liking and landed in the snow outside a tent that seemed bigger than the others surrounding it. The Fae who had flown me here walked past me, a hand snapping out and latching onto my shoulder before shoving me along, and into the tent.

Multiple winged warriors stood around a large, circular wooden table, each bent over the maps, papers and pens that littered the surface. They each wore identical fighting leathers, though every second warrior wore a different coloured strip of dyed cloth tied around their right bicep. One male caught my eye immediately as I adjusted to the light and heat being produced by the massive, roaring fire in the back corner behind the table. The High Lord of Night smiled lazily at me as those dark, bat-like wings stretched out behind me until they reached the sides of the tent - and they still weren't fully extended, I noticed with dawning horror - before he snapped them closed again.

"Little Lucien," Rhysand purred, "what are you doing in my Court, may I ask?"

"Rhysand, Tamlin - he," I stammered, but those bluey-violet eyes darkened at the Spring Lord's name.

"We will continue this meeting later. Understood?" Rhysand addressed the gathered winged males, and after a couple of darkly muttered agreements, Rhys walked calmly over to me with his hands in his pockets, and winnowed us both away.

Only when we arrived at Rhys's chosen place, did he turn to me and look me dead in the eye. "Tell me everything." And I did.

I told him about how Tamlin went and saw Helion, how the meeting went, and how he came back in that mood. I told him about what he said to me, and how he had ravaged my face. I told him how he had banished me from his Court, and realisation sparked in the depths of the Night Court's Lord's eyes.

"You are asking for me to allow you into my Court until Tamlin may have calmed down, returned to his senses, and then you will go and see if you can figure something out with him?" He asked me. I nodded mutely, and Rhys sighed. "Of course. You can stay here for as long as you deem a reasonable time for Tamlin to calm down, and then we can figure out what the next moves are from there."

"Thank you Rhysand."

A ghost of a smile. "Don't thank me yet. Also, first order of business, lets get that face of yours patched up. We can't have you walking in and scaring my Court half to death from your injuries."

I couldn't help the ghost of a smile that slipped over the corners of my mouth at his dry attempt of humour. After another winnow, I found myself standing on top of a hill, looking down onto a sprawling town spread out across the seaside, and over the mountains and hills.

"Welome to the Night Court, Lucien."


End file.
